A new future for Chalgrove Airfield Update from the Homes and Communities Agency November 2016
Source: Associated Architects
More than bricks and mortar Schools, medical centre and key facilities proposed for new community. Many people have asked us recently about ‘what else’ is planned for the proposed new community at Chalgrove Airfield in addition to homes. New streets, homes and workspace are all important for the area, but any community needs a good mix of local facilities and services to thrive. We recognise the importance of getting this right. That’s why we’re looking at what community facilities can be provided at an early stage, as part of our infrastructure-led approach to Chalgrove Airfield. As part of the first phase of development, we would provide a new primary school and health centre alongside new homes. Community facilities, local shops and high quality public open spaces will also feature strongly in the plans for the wider scheme. David Warburton, HCA head of area, said: “We are committed to ensuring that any proposal to develop part of the airfield site takes on board the views of local partners and the wider community. David Warburton
“We ultimately want to deliver something on Chalgrove Airfield that local people can be
Inside: Key to community success – focus on Locking Parklands Involving local people
A primary school, which will be built as part of HCA’s new community near Bristol
proud of which has the best aspects of a traditional community, with high quality design and public spaces. “Local people have an opportunity to help us shape this vision for Chalgrove Airfield and their feedback is proving incredibly valuable.”
Investing locally This infrastructure-led approach is being used elsewhere in Oxfordshire, where the HCA has provided significant investment to unlock the development of thousands of new homes and jobs. It has committed around £75m of funding through a number of programmes to support growth at Didcot including the new garden town. Around £55m of this has already been spent, the majority of which has helped provide new infrastructure, including new roads, schools and other facilities.
Find out more about how we have done this elsewhere on page 2. Check how you can get involved on page 3.
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk | Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield | Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk
Key to community success – focus on Locking Parklands The Homes and Communities Agency has a strong track record of delivering new communities in the best tradition, with a focus on high quality design, connectivity, strong local networks and jobs. A great example of this work can be seen at Locking Parklands in North Somerset, which is a successful and thriving new community on the site of a former airfield.
The HCA has also invested in supporting the building of a 420-place primary school with integrated community facilities, which is to open two years earlier than originally planned. This development is recognised as one of the best examples of its kind in the country, has won a number of awards and is strongly supported by local people.
The HCA has worked with partners to transform the site, with 1,450 homes, a new pre-school, primary school and secondary school, local facilities and more than 32 ha of open space including a large central park. A new spine road will improve connections and support the delivery of 60,000 sq m of employment space, a new high street and business areas. The first two phases of around 250 high quality homes have been built and phase three, comprising a further 166 homes, is well underway. A number of high quality offices have also opened and host local businesses.
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk | Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield | Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk
A new future for Chalgrove Airfield Involving local people
We’ve had hundreds of discussions about our plans for Chalgrove Airfield with local residents and stakeholders in recent weeks – and there’s still an opportunity for you to join the conversation. Our drop-in session at the village hall earlier this month was well attended and covered a wide range of points. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who took the trouble to come and speak to us. We’ve also held a meeting with representatives of 15 local parish councils, who gave their views on existing traffic challenges and how investing in infrastructure could help address these. We will be looking at all of these points to shape a package of investment that supports the development of new homes at Chalgrove and helps improve neighbouring villages and parishes. Some of the things that feature in this emerging plan include: • Understanding more about how lorries and goods
vehicles use existing roads and putting in place measures to reduce their impact on villages. • Investment in a new Bus Rapid Transport system from Chalgrove to major employment growth areas to the south of Oxford, including a route to Culham Science Centre. • Planning new streets to take extra traffic and ‘quiet lanes’ for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. These ideas will play a part in our discussions with local people at our Enquiry by Design event, which is planned for early next year. This process will run for five days and has public participation at its core, with all views taken on board. It has been successfully used by local communities to shape a number of developments. The event will be held between 19 and 23 January and we are having a briefing session on this on 5 December from 5pm at Chalgrove Village Hall. If you are interested in attending any part of this event, please drop us an email at chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk | Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield | Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk
A new future for Chalgrove Airfield Your questions answered Here are answers to some questions you have asked since our last newsletter was distributed. If you have others drop us an email at chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk
facilities, shops and education provision on the site. A school and medical centre will be provided as part of the first phase of development and would look to involve a mix of other facilities as part of the new community.
Q: What do you want to do with Chalgrove Airfield? A: The HCA’s vision for the Chalgrove Airfield site includes plans to develop: •
Up to 3,500 new and affordable homes as part of a thriving mixed development;
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Employment space for existing and new businesses to invest and grow;
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New community and leisure facilities, schools and medical centres;
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Improved open green spaces; and
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Better infrastructure, improved public transport and cycle routes.
Q: Has the detailed design already been agreed? A: No. Our planning application for the new community will be submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council in Spring next year, following our Enquiry by Design event in January.
Q: Roads in the area are already busy. How will you help to address traffic problems? A: We recognise that this is an issue for the area and are looking at a number of ways to address this. Better infrastructure, improved public transport and cycle routes will feature strongly in our plans for Chalgrove. We’ve had conversations with local parish councils about traffic in their area and will use this feedback to create solutions which improve connections with Chalgrove and local employment areas. More information will be provided on this at our events which we will be holding in January next year. Q: What facilities will the new community have? A: At this stage, we are seeking people’s views to help establish what opportunities there might be to include local
The Site
Keep in touch: Lead responsibility for the Chalgrove Airfield sites rests with David Warburton, Head of Area at the Homes and Communities Agency.
For further information:
Email: chalgrove@hca.gsi.gov.uk Project website: www.chalgroveairfield.gva.co.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/chalgroveairfield